Fort Myers & Sanibel · United States · Wreck · Artificial reef
Santa Lucia
A refugee boat from Cuba, sunk off Naples in 1997
A 47-foot (14 m) turtle boat that carried 29 refugees from Cuba in 1994 and sank under tow in 1997, short of its planned reef site, about 6 km (3.8 miles) west of Gordon Pass off Naples. It lies at 6 to 9 m (20 to 30 feet), held in place by concrete beams and pylons.
Where it is and how deep
26.0898° N, 81.8438° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
Santa Lucia sits at a depth range of 6 to 9 m (20 to 30 feet); the hull went down in 7 m (24 feet) of water, so the descent is short and the whole dive stays in shallow water. Concrete beams and pylons were placed on and around the wreck to hold it in place, and they form part of the reef today.
Visibility in the area is generally only 1.5 to 3 m (5 to 10 feet), which makes this a tough dive despite the shallow depth: divers stay close to the structure and to each other. The wreck is home to abundant sea life, and the shallow bottom leaves plenty of air for a slow look around it.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Santa Lucia
- Type
- Turtle boat
- Length
- 14 m (46 ft)
- Sunk
- 1997
- Cause
- Took on water and sank under tow, well short of its planned artificial reef site
- Lies
- In 7 m (24 feet) of water about 6 km (3.8 miles) west of Gordon Pass, off Naples
In 1994, 29 refugees fleeing Cuba used the Santa Lucia, a 47-foot (14 m) turtle boat, for their voyage to the United States. In 1997 the vessel was taken out of storage in a Naples boat yard and towed to sea to become part of an artificial reef site, but it took on water and sank well short of the planned site. Concrete beams and pylons were then placed on and around it to hold the wreck in place.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Fort Myers & Sanibel: Diving runs all year; no month stands out. January has the coolest water, near 19 C, and the summer peak reaches about 30 C.
Know before you go
- Visibility is generally only 1.5 to 3 m (5 to 10 feet); stay close to a buddy and to the wreck.
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Santa Lucia wreck?+
Santa Lucia lies at a depth range of 6 to 9 m (20 to 30 feet); the boat sank in 7 m (24 feet) of water.
Is Santa Lucia a good dive for beginners?+
It is shallow, but visibility is generally only 1.5 to 3 m (5 to 10 feet), which makes it a tough dive for newer divers.
Sources
- Fort Myers diving - GoodDive.com — GoodDive
- Santa Lucia - DiveSpots — DiveSpots
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